


"Lie In The Sound"

by AloryShannon



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: "Tales Of" Kink Meme Fill, Angst, F/M, Gen, Implied Relationships, Romance, Tales of Kink Meme, possible future fic, post-game fic, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-24
Updated: 2011-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-28 00:55:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/301967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AloryShannon/pseuds/AloryShannon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the Tales Of Kink Meme prompt: "Guy/Tear, anything's fine. Because Tear's too good for Luke"</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Lie In The Sound"

He finds her in the grassy field surrounding the ruins of Eldrant.

He’s not at all surprised that she ended up here, especially considering what day it is; he’d ended up here for more or less the same reason more than once (they all had on That Night), though that’s not why he’s here this time.  He’s still looking for someone, hoping to find someone waiting there; but this time, for the first time, he finds them, because he’s looking for _her._

He pauses a few steps away, listening to her sing, knowing she’s too wrapped up in memories and musical notes to realise he’s there, and he takes that time to study her.  She’s as beautiful as ever--even more so beneath the silver caress of moonlight--but she looks as sad and weary as he feels.  He wonders how long she’s been out here.  Hours, probably, judging by her chapped lips and the faint bluish tinge to her fair skin that has nothing to do with the pale glow of the moon.  He understands that all too well: every time he’d come here, he’d stayed a lot longer than he’d intended to.  Because it was beautiful, because it was peaceful, a good place to think…and because for some reason, it was the place that he felt closest to Luke.  Since this is nearest to where they last saw him, where they lost him (twice), it almost makes sense.

After her song fades, borne away on the salty sea breeze, he finally speaks: “It’s pretty dangerous, coming out here alone at night.”

The melodist starts a bit, her head jerking towards him.  She doesn’t really look surprised to see that it’s him, though.  “Guy…”

He takes a few steps closer, coming to stand directly beside the rock she’s sitting on, though his eyes are trained on the ruins in the valley spread before them.  “Honestly, I can’t decide if Luke would be glad that you think about him so much even now, or sad that he’s still causing you so much pain.”  Tear doesn’t answer that, choosing instead to stare out into the valley as well.  Guy looks at her obliquely, noting that though her face is sad, her eyes are quite dry.  “But I do know that he wouldn’t want you to waste your life and give up all your happiness for something that isn’t going to happen.”

“I told him I’d be waiting.”  There’s the barest hint of a waver in her voice, so slight Guy thinks he could’ve imagined it, or if he didn’t that maybe it’s just the cold.  “That I would _always_ be waiting.”

The blonde swordsman turns his focus downwards, staring at the flowers surrounding his feet.  He can’t help smiling at the sight of the softly-glowing selenias, though it’s a smile full of old memories and edged with sadness.  “…I know.  I said that, too.  And that’s what I really _want_ to do.  But that’s just selfish of me.”  He turns serious eyes on Tear, finding uncertainty and a half-guilty understanding in her expression.  “It’s selfish of me to do nothing with my life when Luke chose to give up his so that I could keep living and be happy…and hoping for the same miracle to happen twice is just too much to hope for.  There’s a big difference between believing in someone and being in denial.  It’s been five years now.”  He hates saying it, but it’s the truth, and he knows it’s what they both need to hear.  “If he could’ve come back, he would have by now.”

Tear turns her face away sharply; Guy looks at her sadly for another moment before looking up at the moon instead.  It’s not a full moon like it was on That Night, but it’s waxing large and bright enough to light the valley and allow the ruins in the distance to cast their uneven shadows far over the field.  How many times had he stared into those dim cracks and crevasses in the vain hope of seeing another red-haired figure coming toward him?  How many times had he politely turned down opportunities to make good-will trips to Baticul, knowing that he’d have to look at someone who has the same face, but who isn’t at all the person he’d been waiting for?  Guy can’t resent him for that--what happened isn’t his fault after all--and he’d been happy for Natalia and pleased that all the past bitterness and wounded pride and unbridled anger had obviously been discarded and disregarded, and the royal wedding had been magnificent and full of love and hope and promise.

But it hadn’t taken away the empty feeling sitting slightly left of center in his chest, and it hadn’t made the loss of his best friend hurt any less.  After all he’d been through, Guy was used to loss, and Tear was no stranger to it either--they were both from Hod after all, two of the three remaining survivors--but he didn’t know if either of them would ever really wholly get over losing _their_ Luke.  A first love for the one, a friend closer than a brother for the other, and equally irreplaceable in both cases.

Tear is obviously thinking along the same lines.  “No one can ever take his place,” she says softly, her face still turned towards the ruins and the sea.

Guy has to smile a little at that.  “I bet Luke would be happy to know that he made himself a place in our hearts that no one else could fill.  Of course, he wouldn’t be happy that he’s causing us pain now because of that, but pain is inevitable whenever you decide to love someone.  But that doesn’t mean loving someone isn’t worth it anyway.”

Tear nods, biting her lip and looking down at the single flower she’d picked from the field earlier; it’s already starting to fade and lose its petals.  Guy takes the opportunity to study her again.  She’s beautiful, he’s always thought so, and seeing her like this emphasizes the slowly-realised but simple truth that he wants to take care of her.  Because it’s the chivalrous thing to do, because she’s the only other person from Hod aside from himself and Pere and that makes her special; because she’s a Fende, and he still feels like he owes at least that much to their family; because she’s his friend, and he does care about her.  And especially because of Luke--if their roles were reversed, he’d expect nothing less of his best friend--because she was so important to him and he’d want to see her happy and fulfilled, loved and protected, not alone and lonely for the rest of her life.  He’s thought about it for a long time, and he now feels sure that this is what Luke would have wanted.

…But Guy also wants to take care of her simply because that’s what _he_ wants to do.  For himself.  And that might be a little selfish, too, but there was nothing wrong with being a little selfish every now and then.

His voice is quiet, his gaze on her steady as he breaks that long, lingering silence.  “…Tear…come back with me.  If returning to Yulia City is too hard, you’d be more than welcome to stay with me at my mansion in Grand Chokmah.  It’s a big place, and so far it’s just me and Pere and a few servants...and honestly, it could use a woman’s touch.”

It’s not quite a proposal, but it’s close enough to one to startle her.  Shock fades into faint regret, but before she can give voice to her refusal, he speaks again, even more quietly this time:

“I know I can’t take Luke’s place…but I don’t want to.  I won’t even try, I promise.”  He suddenly flashes her his most winning smile, holding out his hand to her as he adds, “I’ll just have to find my own place in your heart.”

She looks at him and his outstretched hand with unconcealed surprise, hesitating as her carefully-formed refusal crumbles beneath his gentle words and earnest gaze; and though her eyes are glassy with unshed tears, she still manages a smile as she reaches out and places her hand in his.


End file.
